As mentioned previously, up in the mountains where I live, there is no mail delivery to street addresses.  We all have PO boxes.

On Friday I went down into the city to renew my driver’s license.  After waiting for over 90 minutes for my number to be called, while subjected to some idiot in the waiting area who was clearly very sick and coughing up a lung, I was informed that I needed proof of my address.  They suggested I go out to my car and get my registration.

I come back with registration in my hand and the guy shakes his and says “no” because it has my PO box on it.  I need something that shows my physical address.  They recommended I bring in my utility bill.

This morning (Monday) I drive back down there with utility bill in hand.  I take a number and wait all over again.  I get called.  The guy asks me for my address and I state it for him and he checks it against the bill.  The bill lists my address as 123 Elm St.  But the address I gave him was 123 West Elm St.  It doesn’t exactly match.  No, the utility bill won’t work.  I’ll need to bring my rental agreement.

I started yelling at the guy.  He was defending himself saying it was federal law.  I told him I didn’t give a shit what fucking law it was.  The point was, I had followed their instructions and brought my utility bill and I had waited in the fucking waiting room two days now.

He then suggested I go over to the county vehicle registration office and see if they would print a registration with my physical address on it.

The county office is less than a mile away.  I took a number and waited. Fortunately, there weren’t many people there.

I told the woman I had a strange request and explained the situation to her.  She was extremely helpful.  She pulled up my registration info and asked me what address I wanted on it.  She changed it, printed the registration, then changed it back to my PO box.  The funny thing is I could have given her any address.  No verification at all.

So back over the driver’s license office.  I handed the guy the registration and walked out of there 10 minutes later with my temporary license.

Since 9/11/2001, this country has lost all sight of the constitution, all sight of logic, added so much needless bureaucracy, and instilled in us that the boogie man is out there to get us.  It’s the Cold War all over again.  There will forever be a war on something.

Below is a link to a well written article about the state of the political circus in this country.  The guy writing claims to be a republican “30-year career as a professional staff member on Capitol Hill.”  It’s a very worth while read:  “Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult“.

Thanks to Besty for the link.